


Sayaka's Valentines Day Confession

by amageish



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: All The Ships, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Awkward Crush, Background Poly, Bisexual Maizono Sayaka, Crushes, F/F, Feelings Realization, It's Not That Background Anymore, Love Triangles, M/M, Multi, Other, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:49:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26767558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amageish/pseuds/amageish
Summary: Sayaka enrolls all her friends (and some acquaintances) in a plot to win Makoto's affections on Valentine's Day. Her plans go awry as she realizes her feelings may not be for the Ultimate Luck, but the Detective who he's out and about with.UTDP-esque universe.
Relationships: Akamatsu Kaede/Harukawa Maki/Momota Kaito/Saihara Shuichi, Fukawa Touko/Naegi Komaru, Kirigiri Kyoko & Naegi Makoto, Kirigiri Kyoko/Maizono Sayaka, Maizono Sayaka/Naegi Makoto (one-sided), Naegi Makoto/Togami Byakuya
Comments: 14
Kudos: 57





	1. The Sayaker Fan Club

“I’d like to call the first official meeting for the Sayaker Fan Club into order!"

Everyone stared back at Sayaka with various confused expressions.

“I’m sorry, but you called us all here to join _your own_ fan club?” Maki questioned, causing Kaede to shoot her a glance that fell somewhere between “be polite” and “I wanted to ask that too.”

“No, it’s a Sayaker Fan Club! So obviously she’s starting a Fan Club for fans of her fans!” Komaru happily declared. “I, for one, think it’s an adorable idea. Just as cute as you are, Sayaka.” The compliments made Sayaka blush and Toko bury her face into Komaru’s shoulder for attention.

“Ibuki has a lot of questions, but she loves to support her friends!” Ibuki proudly declared. Mikan smiled next to her, but remained silent. She figured it was better to not speak unless spoken to. Chiaki had already fallen asleep on Mikan’s shoulder and Mikan worried speaking would involve too much moving, thereby waking her.

“Well, no. This isn’t actually my fan club. That’s just the cover story so I could book this classroom without anyone asking questions.” Sayaka said, wiggling her eyebrows mysteriously.

“O-oh!” Toko gasped. “You’ve b-brought us all into this c-classroom to d-do… things? I’m staying with Omaru, but I’m willing to watch you all...”

“Toko, don’t interrupt my dramatic reveal,” Sayaka said, accenting her disappointment with a sigh. “For you see, we’re not the Sayaker Fan Club -”

“It should still just be the Sayaka Fan Club if it's your fans?”

Komaru cleared her throat.

“We, Kaede, are actually… the Get Sayaka a Valentine’s Date Club!” Sayaka punctured her grand reveal with striking a pose and turning on her PowerPoint presentation, the title slide of which was covered with heart-shaped clipart.

“Ahhhhhh, okay. This is actually much worse.” Maki deadpanned. Kaede lightly slapped her shoulder. Sayaka ignored the comment.

“Together, we shall embark on a journey to get Makoto to love once and for all! I have a three-step plan, to be executed in accordance with our shared talents. My physic powers tell me this is going to be a wild success!” Sayaka began going through her slides, lecturing as if she was a professor explaining a simple concept to her students.

“The first team is the Scope Team. We shall follow Makoto on an outing to the mall I heard he'll be doing with Kyoko the on the 12th, to ensure that he does not buy anything too romantic or ask anyone else out. If I’m confessing, then I want to be the only one. This team shall consist of noted Naegi expert Komaru Naegi, medical emergency expert Mikan Tsumiki, and spy extraordinaire Maki Harukawa.”

“Um. Pardon?” Maki asked. “I’m the _Ultimate Child Caregiver_. Unless you plan on following Makoto into a daycare, then I’m not qualified for this.”

“Oh?” Sayaka asked, smirking. “That’s not what Kaito told me. He said you’d be perfect as my spy. He spoke a lot about your talents at locating targets.”

“He did… What?!?!” Maki shouted. “Okay, yep, I’m going to kill him. He’s earned it. Let’s go, Kaede, you can help me.”

“Um, Maki, I’m not going to help you -”

“Wow!” Sayaka burst out into laughter. “Kaito said you’d be embarrassed, but I’m surprised you’d turn against him just because he told me how good you are at playing hide and go seek!”

“What.” Maki and Kaede deadpanned simultaneously. 

“He spoke all about how good you are with kids and how you excel at finding them when they hide! So, I figured you’d be perfect for a brief mall stake-out!"

“So… That’s what he told you.” Maki said, sitting back down next to Kaede. “Well. Um. If you’ll forgive my outburst, then I suppose I can help with your intel mission, assuming Komaru and Mikan also agree.”

Mikan looked to Komaru. 

Komaru sighed and simply said “W-well. If you think it’s a good idea!.” 

_Her face is_ concerned, Mikan observed. _She’s hiding something. She doesn’t seem to want to tell me though, so I’ll go along with it._

Mikan simply nodded.

“Perfect!” Sayaka declared. “Now, faze two. We need to write a confession song for me to sing to Makoto on the big day. This shall be done with myself, Kaede, Ibuki, and Toko.”

“W-what?” Toko questioned. “I’m n-no lyricist.”

“Maybe not, but you are an expert on confessions!” Kaede piped up. “Didn’t your talent get noticed when you wrote a love letter?”

“S-shut up! You don’t k-know me.”

“I don’t know, Toki, she makes a good point. Your confession to me was pretty gutsy.” Komaru interjected, putting her arm around Toko for good measure.

“T-that wasn’t m-mine! Jack just t-told you how we feel and you were kind enough to p-play along.”

“Well, I still think it was a bold move.” Komaru said simply.

“Look,” said Sayaka, “We just want you to attend our meetings about writing the lyrics; you don’t have to contribute if you don’t want to.”

“F-fine.”

“Perfect!” Sayaka smiled. “Then, finally, Chiaki will be in charge of setting up the ideal confession scene. I figure she’s probably an expert from dating sims anyway… Ibuki, Mikan, can you two let her know when she awakes?”

“Ibuki is on it!”

Mikan nodded as well.

“Perfect! Thank you all for your help; this is going to be the best Valentine’s Day ever. I hereby declare the first meeting of the Sayaker Fan Club adjourned! I’ll text you about when to follow Makoto…”

Sayaka skipped out of the room happily.

As soon as she was out of the room, Komaru instantly stood up.

“I declare the first meeting of the Toko-er Fan Club in session!”

“W-what?”

“Look, sweetie, I need to name this organization and you’re too adorable.”

“D-don’t say things like t-that so casually!”

“So, um… Ibuki wants to know what’s up with Komaru?”

“Y-yeah.” Mikan began to talk, accidentally waking up Chiaki in the process. “I noticed you looked concerned throughout this meeting. Is everything okay?”

“M… meeting?” Chiaki yawned.

“Oh, I’m so sorry for waking you!” Mikan said, beginning to panic “I can take off -”

“No… no… it’s okay… Just keep being a pillow as needed,” Chiaki said, stretching out. “So, how are things? What did Sayaka need?”

“She just wanted us to help her get Makoto as her Valentine. She asked you to plan out a confession location, citing dating sim knowledge.” Kaede explained.

Chiaki yawned. “Really not my area of expertise, but I can try… I guess…”

“Well, hopefully you won’t have to get that far!” Komaru declared. “As, um, my brother may be slightly preoccupied on Valentine's Day?”

“Oh no!” Ibuki cried. “Torn apart by fate! Is it the Detective blocking Makoto from accepting Sayaka’s lady love?”

“What? No. Kyoko and him are just friends. It’s… it’s Togami.”

“M-master!” Toko questioned. “Well… I s-suppose it makes s-sense. The Naegi family do make p-perfect romantic partners, after a-all..."

“Awwwww! See, Toko, you are a charmer when you want to be!” Kaede said, smiling. 

“S-shut up!”

“So…” Maki said, putting everything together. “We’ve all agreed to help Sayaka confess to an already-taken man? Why didn’t you just tell her the truth?”

Komaru looked thoughtful and nervous. “Well, um. I love Sayaka, but we all know her music can be a bit… Er…”

“Autobiographically inspired?” Kaede filled in.

“Exactly!” Komaru agreed. “And not especially subtly at that…”

“S-so you’re worried that M-master’s relationship would be discovered through T-toko’s music?”

“At which point the press would be all over them…” Mikan finished.

“Well. We’re fucked? Doomed? The despair sets in?!?” Ibuki half-asked, half-cried.

“No, that’s wrong!” Komaru interjected. “It’s simple. We just go through with the plan, but make it not about Makoto! We’ll go out to the mall with Sayaka, but get lost. You can all write songs, but only think of platonic relationships. Toki and I can take her out on Valentine’s itself, if nobody else wants to.”

“Heh. Getting lost at the _mall_. You know I’ve never lost a target before, right? You’re basically asking me to damage my reputation. This is a bold move; I could lose my spot here at Hope’s Peak.” Maki said, smirking.

“Your reputation?” Chiaki asked. “How would your reputation be hurt by this?”

“Yes!” Kaede interjected awkwardly. “How would this hurt you, Ultimate Child Caregiver?”

“O-oh. Um. I just am really known for being good at hide and seek at the orphanage. Didn’t want to hurt that… but… um… For Sayaka’s sake and Makoto’s privacy, I can handle some misdirection.”

“Perfect!” Komaru declared. “Thank you all so much for your help. I’m sure this will work out in the end. I hereby declare the first official Toko-er Fanclub Meeting adjourned!”


	2. Blame It on the Mall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayaka, Maki, Mikan, and Komaru attempt to follow Makoto on a shopping trip.
> 
> It doesn't go according to plan.

Maki stood in the mall, dressed in all black and prepared with supplies in her backpack. She had only brought some tranquilizers, just in case things went wrong.

_ Never know when someone unsavory will find me... _

And 15 minutes into their investigation, things had gone wrong. In that things hadn’t gone at all. Maki was standing by herself at the entrance of the mall, texting and impatiently waiting for her colleagues to appear.

Blood Moon: It’s been 15 minutes. Nobody else has shown up. These people wouldn’t last a day in a real stakeout.

Moonchild: Well, you get to show them the ropes then, Maki Roll! And if anything goes wrong, I’ve got your back!

Blood Moon: You better. It’s literally your fault that I’m in this situation.

Moonchild: I only told Komaru because I knew you’d be good at it.

Blood Moon: Sure.

Blood Moon: You definitely didn’t just want to get out of the conversation with her.  


Moonlight: Now now, Maki, I’m sure this is just Kaito’s way of saying he believes in you!

Blood Moon: Kaede, literally everything is people believing in one another to you.

Moonlight: That’s cause that’s what relationships are! 

Moonchild: Exactly! The bond between hero and their sidekicks is cemented in trust and mutual understanding!

Blood Moon: Sure, but you praised Tenko for her “believing in” Himiko last week.

Moonlight: She was! It was adorable.

Blood Moon: She wasn’t going to stop Himiko from jumping out of the second-story window to prove to Hiyoko that she can fly. If Kirumi hadn’t intervened, one or both of them would have been seriously injured. That’s not trust; that’s a problem. Right, Shuichi?

Shuichi Saihara: ....

Shuichi Saihara: I have the right to not answer any questions that may incriminate me.

Moonchild: We need to give you a nickname, Saihara…

Moonlight: Ooo! Yes, let’s. Brainstorm time!

As Maki rolled her eyes at the ongoing discussion on her phone and how her point had been completely sidestepped. It was then that she noticed Komaru walk into the mall… sort of…

It was Komaru, but she was in “disguise.” This “disguise” was clearly a reused Halloween costume and drew more attention to her then her regular clothes would have. Maki didn’t recognize it, but it was bright pink and would definitely attract fans of some sort to her.

_ This is going to be a disaster.  _

Blood Moon: Komaru is here now. Gotta go for now.

Moonlight: Best of luck~!

Moonchild: You got this Maki Roll!

Shuichi Saihara: Stay safe!

_ Ugh. Support. Stupid loving partners. _

Maki walked off to greet Komaru with little hope for their productivity.

…

Komaru was very proud. This was a moment when her ordinariness could be weaponized to get what she needed. Certainly, cosplaying as Madoka wasn’t a good plan to blend in in public, but she was sure the idea was quirky enough Sayaka would find it amusing, if nothing else.

_ Then if Makoto notices us, we can just play it off as we have come from an anime convention and we’ll start discussing that! They’ll both forget about their spying/shopping plans and we’ll be free for another day. _

_ It’ll be perfect… and why is Maki dressed so seriously? _

Komaru walked up to Maki and began to speak, but was promptly interrupted by the booming voice of Sayaka.

“Hello friends!” Sayaka bellowed, approaching everyone with Mikan quietly running behind her. 

“Geez. You’re going to get the attention of everyone in the mall if you keep yelling like that.” Maki said, staring at Sayaka. “And Komaru… What are you wearing? Your brother may not recognize you in that wig, but you’ll draw the attention of everyone regardless - including Kyoko, the Ultimate Detective, who may recognize you on sight! And if either of them starts talking to you, then they’ll definitely recognize your voice.”

“Whoopsie!” Komaru said, laughing. “Look, not everyone is as trained in the ways of Hide and Go Seek as you are. If they find me out, then I’ll just explain I was cosplaying… We can have a conversation and give up on the spying…”

...

As this conversation continued, Mikan felt less and less comfortable. She didn’t want to be here and didn’t expect her services would be needed. So, she embraced the awkward and looked away.

_ They probably didn’t like my disgusting gaze on their faces anyway… Nobody around here would… I mean, why would anyone want me to look at them - oh, hey, Makoto’s waving at me - WAIT MAKOTO IS WAVING AT ME. _

She saw Makoto and Kyoko walk by them, Makoto waving at her. Mikan waved back, shyly. Kyoko turned to look at their full group, her confused gaze lingering on Komaru for a few moments, but ultimately rolled her eyes and resumed her conversation with Makoto.  


_ Well, I guess that anwsers the question of where they were... _

Mikan turned back to the rest of the group, who are still bickering.  


_ Oh well. I’m sure everyone else noticed… I mean, there’s no way only I would realize such a thing… They’re just waiting to spring the reveal. _

“We can’t give up the spying!” Sayaka said, gloomily. “Look, we can adjust plans as needed. First we just need to locate Makoto. I believe he’ll be with Kyoko today, so we should be careful when looking for romantic gestures, secret make-out sessions, or obvious Valentine’s Day Shopping. Where do you think they could be?”

“The clothing store?” Maki suggested, halfheartedly.

_ Low chance of success, but Sayaka seems like the type who could be distracted by clothing, _ Maki reasoned.

“Bookstore!” Komaru suggested excitedly. 

_ Kyoko would never shop in a bookstore this mainstream, but Sayaka could find one of Toki’s books and get distracted, _ Komaru thought to herself.

“Ooo, both good date options!” Sayaka said. “Okay, let’s check them out. Clothing shopping here we come!”

_ They were clearly going into the grocery store… _ Mikan thought to herself.  _ They all probably know that. They’re just going… indirectly. Yeah, that’s it. Stupid Mikan for thinking you knew better...  
_

....

“I don’t understand why you invited me out to aid you with this particular case, Makoto.” Kyoko said, with a facial expression somewhere between confusion and a smirk.

“Look, Byakuya is a man with high standards and expensive tastes… I just don’t want to screw this date up! So, if you can help me in any way you can, then I’d greatly appreciate it.”

“I’m sure he’ll love anything you do, Makoto. He asked you out for a reason.”

“But it’s Byakuya! Heir to the Togami family! His entire life has been about high-stakes tests and auditions. This could be a big deal!”

“Well… If you’re especially concerned, then I’d recommend… making chocolate? Homemade chocolate is a traditional Valentine’s Day gift.”

Makoto looked up confused at her. “Well… I haven’t tried to do that before… However, I like the thought. Would you like to go grocery shopping with me?”

“If you think I’d be of help, then I’m glad to, I suppose…”

“Oh, you’re always helpful. You’ve really deescalated a lot of tensions in our class… Our school is full of a lot of exciting personalities anyway. I mean - hey, wait, there’s Mikan! You know, Junko often talks about her romantic relationships. Maybe we should invite her to join us? She could have some good advise. Oh, but she may be out with some friends...”

Makoto smiled and waved at Mikan.

“Hmmm.” Kyoko looked at the crowd gathered around Mikan, raising an eyebrow at the group’s composition and outfits. “I think that she may be occupied for the day. Appears that Sayaka is getting everyone involved in some sort of scheme again.”

“Oh dear. Well, I’m sure it’s nothing too bad.” Makoto said, chucking at the awkward memories. “She always ends up making things work out in the end.”

“Right.” Kyoko said. “I’m sure the fire department thought so.”

“Hey, look, she got Mondo and Chihiro together that night! That has to count for something.”

“Well, at least I can appreciate her dedication to the happiness of her friends, if nothing else.” Kyoko said, smiling. “Also, speaking of Komaru… what did she wear for Halloween this past fall?”

“Oh, uh, something pink and from a manga I think? I can’t recall which one… Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason.” Kyoko said, laughing quietly to herself. “I’d just be extra nice to her when home tonight. I have a feeling she has a long day ahead of her.”

“Um. Sure? Thanks for the tip…”

…

Maki was hiding in a clothing store changing room in a panic, breathing heavily.

Blood Moon: Shit.

Moonchild: What’s wrong???

Moonlight: Everything okay sweetie?

Blood Moon: I just… I thought I saw someone from the orphanage… I panicked and lost track of Sayaka…

Moonlight: Oh no! That sounds very scary.

Half Moon: Deep breaths! The odds of anyone from the orphanage being there is slim to none, but I understand that it’s hard to process anyway. Keep calm and steady your mind/body.

Blood Moon: But… I failed. 

Moonchild: Protecting yourself isn’t a failure, Maki Roll. Retreat to live another day.

Moonlight: I’ll call Sayaka and inform him we’ve asked you to come back to to us; we’ll take that heat off of your back. And Shuichi can prepare dinner for when you get back!

Blood Moon: Fine.

Blood Moon: …

Blood Moon: Thanks.

Maki took a deep breath and centered herself.

_ This “friends who care about your emotions" thing is new… but maybe the heart swelling moments make it worth doing. _

_ I’m sure Komaru has Sayaka distracted anyway. _

…

Komaru realized that maybe going to the book store with the biggest manga section in the town in cosplay was... a mistake.

“Your costume is really impressive! I admire how willing you are to wear it out in public. I always blend in..."

“Mikan and I will go ahead, okay Komaru! Thanks for all your help today. Don’t worry about leaving us either; Kaede messaged me and said that Maki has been called into work as well...”

Komaru was going to object and offer to join them, but Tsumugi had already waved Sayaka goodbye on her behalf.

It’s not like Tsumugi was bad company for Komaru, but this… really isn’t the ideal time.

_ Oh well. Hopefully Mikan can keep her distracted. _

…

“Well, Mikan. Two duds thus far. I don’t know if we’ll ever find them.”

“Should we go to the… grocery store?” Mikan suggested.

_ Don’t hate me. Don’t hate me… I know it’s probably too obvious they’re there, as we saw them head to it… She’ll probably hate me for such an obvious decision... _

“Oh, that’s genius Mikan! We should buy some obligation chocolate for our classmates… And we can eat it ourselves if this operation fails and we need a pick-me-up! Let’s go.

_ She probably knows they’re there. She’s just testing you… right? _

_ Let’s just go… _

“S-sure, Sayaka. Sounds good…”

...

Sayaka reached the grocery store and ran straight into the chocolate aisle, with Mikan running close behind. 

“So, Mikan, what kind of chocolate is your fave…”

_ It’s them. It’s them. It’s them! _

Sayaka grabs Mikan dives behind a produce stand with her.

“They’re here, Mikan! You found them! You’re a genius!”

“I-I mean, I was just observing where they…”

“Shhhhhh! Let’s listen in on them…”

Sayaka stared intently at the could-be-couple, wondering what they were discussing… Jealousy started to bubble up inside of her, but not in the way she was prepared for.

Makoto was looking up and down the aisle, focusing on the different types of chocolate. Kyoko was talking… near him… but he didn’t seem to be listening.

_ Why is he so focused on chocolate? Shouldn’t she be focused on it, if anyone? There is a beautiful girl right in front of you Makoto! Give her attention! _

Sayaka sighed. Makoto was very cute, but he could be quite dense sometimes. He never really noticed when people were trying to emotionally open up to him…

While Kyoko was perfect at it. Whenever Sayaka was down, Kyoko could observe it and act accordingly, even if it was her just being a detective and trying to stem the cause-effect relationship that naturally existed between Sayaka and unmitigated chaos.

_ Kyoko’s so wonderful… She’s so caring… You know, maybe Makoto doesn’t deserve her, if they’re together. I could serenade her… I imagine she’s never had someone sing about her before… And she’d totally be able to unpack all the lyrics and we could spend all day discussing new metaphors and allegories for our affections and… _

_ Wait. _

_ But I like Makoto. _

_ Kyoko is my rival. _

_ I mean... _

_ Right? _

_ Yeah. _

_ She’s my rival for Makoto’s affections. My beautiful-haired, ever-observant, cold-exterior-but-secretly caring, rival with beautiful gloves that I’m sure would make holding her hand extra cushy... _

Mikan stared at Sayaka. She noticed she seemed to be going through some kind of inner turmoil and was staring quite clearly at Kyoko, not Makoto.

Mikan decided to not ask any follow-up questions. She simply smiled and said “I think it’s best we go back home. They don’t seem to be on a date, so I imagine your plans can proceed uninterrupted.”

“O-oh!” Sayaka said, surprised to hear another voice after having been in such a deep trance. “Perfect! Thanks for all your help Mikan.”

“R-right. Shall I walk you back to your dorm? If you’re nervous, you can pull my -”

“Sure!” Sayaka said, interrupting before Mikan could finish her negative self-talk. “Let’s go!”

Mikan smiled and followed.

…

Shuichi sat in his bedroom, running his fingers over his piano keys and humming to himself.

Kaede had encouraged all of them to take up one another’s talents as a sort of bonding exercise. This had mostly worked well, though Shuichi regularly claims to be busy to get out of going to the shooting range with Maki…

_ I probably should have asked what Maki’s actual talent was before I agreed to take up everyone’s talents… _

It had been a tough day, but a good conclusion. After a day of stress, spending time with his partners providing a night of relaxation and bonding that he hadn’t realized he needed.

So, a night of practicing piano followed by a good night's sleep was much overdue.

However, Shuichi’s piano playing was interrupted by his cell phone dinging.

_ Hopefully everyone’s alright… It’s probably just the group chat, but it’s worth checking. _

It wasn’t the group chat. It was from Kyoko.

Kyoko Kirigiri: Hello. I just wanted to warn you that Maki is likely wrapped up in one of Syayaka’s schemes. She, Mikan, Sayaka, and Komaru (in a questionable wig) were spotted at the mall today, all appearing to be part of a scheme and dressed in sensational outfits. I wish to respect their right to privacy; however, I am worried given previous incidents with regard to Sayaka's methods of expressing her feelings for/about things. If you already know about this, please text or call me at your earliest convenience. Otherwise, be careful. Sincerely, Kirigiri.

The intense questioning made Shuichi try to pull his hat down to avoid eye contact… the hat he no longer wore… and the eye contact he was avoiding was with a cell phone text message.

_ Old habits die hard. _

Shuichi sighed and pulled up the group chat.

Half Moon: So, uh, Kyoko noticed something’s up and texted asking for information. What should we do?

Moonlight: I think we have it covered. Just thank her for her concern I guess?

Blood Moon: Wouldn’t that just make her more suspicious? 

Half Moon: ^

Half Moon: I’m not exactly an Kokichi-tier liar, you know.

Moonlight: I can talk to her on your behalf if you’d like?

Blood Moon: Kaede, you're a worse liar then he is.

Moonlight: I am not!

Blood Moon: Remember Gonta’s surprise birthday party?

Moonlight: I did that on purpose! I was worried he’d be scared by all the people in his apartment otherwise!  


Blood Moon: Sure.

Half Moon: I’ll just text her back asking to keep an eye out and say I’ll speak to Maki later...

Half Moon: Thanks for the help all <3 

Moonlight: Anytime~!

Blood Moon: Maybe not at midnight next time.

Shuichi smiled. They all had their own ways of showing their love.

Shuichi Saihara: Oh? We’ll keep an eye out then. I’ll talk to Maki in the morning. Keep in touch! - Saihara

Shuichi didn’t know why Kyoko signed off her messages, but figured it’d be better to join her then be too informal.

He took and breath and resumed his piano practice.

...

It was 4AM. 

Sayaka was awake.

_ I hadn’t realized my patterned wallpaper looked this much like Kyoko’s hairstyle. _

_ Ugh. _

Sayaka was concerned. She couldn’t… like Kyoko, right? She liked Makoto! They had been friends since grade school! Well, maybe less “friends” and more “person she saw once from a distance,” but that’s basically the same thing.

_ But Kyoko was just so… calming? Invigorating. Inspiring. _

_ Do I want her or want to be her… _

_ Ugh. Cliche bisexual dilemmas are cliche. _

Sayaka sighed. She wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight.

So, she got up and knocked on her neighbours door.

“If this is the downstairs neighbours again, then you have no right to complain about my noise..." the voiced boomed from indoors. An eye appeared in the peephole and the voice's tone changed "Oh, Blueberry, it’s just you.”

“Hi... Jack?” 

“The one and only!" Jack beamed, opening the door. "I’m sorry, Miss Morose isn’t can't come to the door right now. If you want I can leave a message and she’ll contact you later?”

“No, uh, I was actually hoping to see you!”

“Oh? Well, now that’s a surprise.” Jack said, mischievous glint twinkling in her eyes. “Well, come on in then. My home is your home. Excuse the wood shavings.”

Sayaka stepped into the room. There was a tree in the middle of it, which Jack has seemingly been slowly whittling away at, seeming turning it into a wooden statue of Komaru.

“Jack… You whittle?”

“Fuck yeah I do! Angie taught it to me and it’s perfect! It’s like murdering a tree but by the end of it you get art instead of a police trail.”

“Huh.” Sayaka said, unsure what to make of Jack’s casualness. “Well, um, I’m glad you’ve found healthy ways to channel your talents!”

Jack smiled happily and nodded.

“So, Blueberry, whatcha need from old Jack today?”

“H-huh? How did you know I needed something?”

“Well… It’s 4AM. People generally don’t go knocking on their neighbours doors at 4AM unless they need help of some sort of description…”

“Wow. Are you sure you aren’t physic?”

“Not physic, girl. You’re just very predictable.”

“Oh.” 

"And, for the record, I'm off the market for murders now. Sorry, sweetie, but I'm no longer about that life."

"W-what? No, that isn't what I was asking for!"

"Huh. Well... What _do_ you want then, Blueberry?"

Sayaka took a deep breath.

“So… You were in love with Byakuya for a long time… How did you realize you wanted to be with Komaru?”

“That’s what you wanted to talk about? Huh.”

“Oh, if it’s too personal then you -”

“It’s not too personal, just not what I expected… Probably a better question for my other half then me, but I believe that the Naegi’s household flooded and somehow Komaru ended up staying with her? They opened up to each other over time and it just… sort of happened.”

“Hmmm… Any reason for the change?”

“I don’t know, really. Byakuya is our Master, but he doesn’t exactly… appreciate our presence in the same way Komaru does? It’s a time thing. I guess it was no longer worth devoting all of our time to someone who wasn’t willing or able to give us time in turn?”

“Ah. I see. Thank you so much; this has been very helpful.”

Jack laughs briefly. “Anytime Blueberry! Man, you got me all introspective and junk… Now to channel these new emotions into my art!”

“Well, best of luck with it! Make sure to get some sleep too!”

“Eh, she can handle the sleeping for the two of us. So long!”

Sayaka smiled, leaving Jack’s room with new confidence.

_ Tomorrow I will write a song… for Kyoko. _

She paused for a moment. What about her friends? She doesn’t want to make it seem like their work on getting her Makoto wasn’t appreciated… and they all believed in her anyway.

_ I will write a song for Kyoko, but can pretend it’s still for Makoto… Practice my acting skills! It’ll work out...  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m aware that Jack’s nicknames are usually alliteration and not by hair colour, but I like “Blueberry” as a name for Sayaka a lot and will likely be sticking with this...
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. I Love a Piano

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayaka has Kaede, Ibuki, and Toko help her compose a song. Kyoko's investigation continues.

Kaede sighed. It was 15 minutes past their meeting time and, yet, she was alone in the music room. She was half-way through reading  _ A Case of Identity _ when she gave up and decided to check in on the others...

Moonlight: So, I’m still in the music room… Do you think everyone is coming?

Blood Moon: Ha. See, now you get to experience the agony of waiting. Sitting in silence as you prepare for the emotional whirlwind that is incoming. 

Moonchild: It’ll all work out. Just run through the game plan in preparation.

Moonlight: I mean, we’re going to write music.

Moonlight: Hopefully we get off-topic and start writing about non-romantic feelings I guess?

Blood Moon: Distraction didn’t work out well for us, but I wish you the best of luck.

Moonlight: Thanks~! Also, Shuichi, has Kyoko replied to you?

Half Moon: She did. She said she’ll continue to keep an eye out and I should do the same.

Moonlight: Cool! Glad she’s not putting any more pressure on you.

A voice echoed through the hallway, indicating Ibuki and Sayaka would soon be arriving.

Moonlight: Gotta go! They’re here.

Moonchild: Go get em!

Half Moon: Good luck!

Blood Moon: Stay safe.

_ Awwww, they’re all so adorable… _ Kaede thought.

...

Ibuki and Sayaka burst into the room with a cacophonous energy. 

“Good morn-morn-morning, everyone!” Ibuki shouted.

“It’s… 2:16PM?” Kaede replied.

“Ibuki was talking to Sayaka,” Ibuki explained. “She feel asleep in class today!”

Sayaka yawned. “Sorry for being late Kaede... I didn’t get much sleep last night… Nerves and all.”

“It’s alright! If you’re too tired, then we can always postpone to another day…”

“No!” Sayaka said, a bit louder than she intended on being. “I just… need to get this done before I can sleep…”

“Oh, struck by inspiration?” Ibuki questioned. “Well, let’s get at it then!”

Kaede smiled. “Okay! I’ll just begin doodling… let me know if anything strikes you as useable.”

“I’m… not sure if drawing will help us?” Sayaka asked. “However, if it’s part of your process, then I don’t want to judge! Sorry…”

“Kaede means doodling, like, freestyling. She’s going to let herself be pulled around by the passion of the heart and see what sweet melodies arise!”

“Oh. Right. That makes more sense. Thanks, Ibuki… Go ahead Kaede!”

Kaede nodded and began to play. While playing, she let her thoughts wander, taking inspiration from what thoughts rolled around her head.

_ I hope everyone’s doing well today… I believe Shuichi has a couple missing pet cases ongoing… I should check in with him about those.  _

_ Right… His first major case was one of those, right? And the girl he found the pet for gave him Valentine’s Day chocolate… I wonder if we’ll be the second people to give him homemade chocolate on Valentine’s Day, or if he’s had others… I shouldn’t check in with him about that; it’s not really my business. _

_ Though I am kind of curious... _

_ I wonder if Maki would like to make chocolate with me… It could be a fun bonding thing… Though also we’d probably just end up eating the chocolate ourselves… _

_ I hope Maki is okay… Yesterday sounds like it was hard for her. _

_ You know, she hasn’t opened up too much about her past… I know she’ll tell me when she’s ready, but it does make me kind of jealous of Kaito… Like, I know we’re all together and a group, but she’s still hiding - _

“Kaede, this is beautiful! It’s perfect.” Sayaka said, beaming.

“H-huh?” Kaede replied, though continuing to play. “Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts; I’ll switch to happier tunes -”

“No, didn’t you hear me? This is perfect! I love it. The tone is exactly right?”

“Are you… sure? I was daydreaming about Maki, honestly… I’m playing in A minor. Wouldn’t you rather something happier for Makoto? I can think about Kiato if you’d like; I think his attitude would be better-suited for -”

“No, that’s wrong!” Sayaka interjected. “This is perfect, okay? I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.”

“Okay, okay!” Kaede replied. “If you’re sure, then I’ll start actually writing stuff down and workshopping a melody. Ibuki, lend me a hand, please?”

…

After an hour of writing, a frazzled-looking Toko burst through the door.

“That… girl… Ugh… I’m going to k-kill her!”

“Please don’t kill anyone?” Kaede said, alarmed.

“Kaede is right! Murder is wrong.” Ibuki chimed in.

“Jack stayed up all n-night sculpting, whittling a life-sized s-statue of Komaru in my room. The entire r-room is a mess now and I’m running on, like, n-no sleep.”

“That’s okay, Toko! Sayaka had little sleep last night too, so you have company!” Ibuki explained.

“Huh, r-really?”

“Yup!” Sayaka replied.

_ And it is for a reason you won’t remember… right? _ Sayaka thought nervously.

“I’m sorry about the whittling…” Kaede interjected, nervously. “That may be my fault… I introduced her to Angie a couple weeks ago…”

“Ugh. It’s fine K-kaede. I just w-wish she’d do it outside…”

Kaede smiled. “Maybe leave a note for her or something? I’m sure there is a way to have a dialogue about this… I can talk to her next time I see her?”

“I’d… like t-that. Thank you.”

“Ibuki is so happy to see friends getting along! Now, shall we begin fusing our musical talents!”

“I d-don’t have any musical talents, but I c-can help with writing…”

“Any help would be greatly appreciated, Toko.” Sayaka reassured her. 

“Okay… Well… Sayaka… Why do you l-like Makoto? Not that I am j-judging or anything, but I n-need to know the origin of these feelings.”

Sayaka took a deep breath.

_ Time to tell them how I feel… in a way... _

“I… think Makoto is talented. A genius, really. But that’s not all sh-he is. He can be kindhearted and supports everyone, but never seems to expect thanks for his actions. His cold exterior hides how much he cares, but… you can still feel it, you know? It’s obvious he’s hiding a lot about himself and his past - and I cannot imagine the pressure he feels he’s under… but that just makes him more admirable. I would like to be more like him and think… being around him makes me a better person.

I don’t know if I would say I love him, but… I think he’s the kind of person I could grow to love… And that’s what I want to write. Not a song about my love, but of appreciation and the suggestion I could grow to love… Makoto… in the future.”

_ There. I’ve bared my soul, with the name altered… _ Sayaka thought. _ Now I just need to see how they feel. _

“That was… beautiful!” Kaede declared, with tears in her eyes. “I understand why you wanted a song like this now! It’ll be perfect for this type of song.”

“That was adorable!” Ibuki replied, pulling Sayaka into a hug. “You will have such a cute first date story with a confession like that!”

“That was the w-worst description of Makoto I have ever heard.” Toko rebutted.

There was an awkward pause.

Sayaka was internally panicking.

_ I’m doomed. Toko’s figured it out. What if Jack told her? She could have written a note…  _

“How Sayaka views her love is none of our business!” Kaede said, shutting down any further discussion.

“F-fine. But just know you’re s-setting yourself up for disappointment! I once asked K-komaru about if Makoto had any dark secrets and all she could come up with is that he used to be a b-bedwetter.”

“Ew.” Sayaka replied. “Let’s move on and get writing, shall we?”

…

As Kaede played the final notes on her piano and Sayaka finished singing in the final refrain, Toko began to smile, a blush covering her cheeks. 

“That’s… a wrap. We’re f-finished. It’s romantic and gushy and perfect! Reminds me of the golden days with my master...” Toko said, putting down her notepad.

“This is… good?” Kaede said, hesitantly waiting for confirmation from others. 

“This is amazing!” Ibuki declared, pulling her three co-writers into an awkward hug. “Today has been a huge success!”

“Thank you all so much for your help!” Sayaka said. “I’m so proud of what we’ve written today.”

“Anytime!” Kaede responded, smiling. “This was honestly a surprising amount of fun… Do you think the recording on your phone is enough, or would you like to do another one later?”

Sayaka put a finger on her chin in pensive thought. “I’m unsure… Maybe we’ll stick with this for now and finalize it once Chiaki and I have figured out the ideal confession place? Depending on where it is, we could do a live concert.”

“Ohhhhh, that’d be cute!” Kaede said, beaming.   


“Ibuki can play guitar if you would like, Sayaka!” Ibuki bellowed.

_ This is a bit of a somber song for your style, Ibuki, but I appreciate the enthusiasm... _

“I’ll figure it out! We’ll all be in touch.” Sayaka replied, gathering up all of her supplies.

“Perfect. Thanks again for trusting us with this. It’ll be fantastic.” Kaede replied.

“Oh, there’s no group I’d rather work with. The Sayaker Fan Club is a great crowd,” Sayaka said, with a wink. “Now, I have dinner with my group tonight, so I’m going to head out for now. So long everyone!”

“Bye-bye!” “Have a good dinner!” “B-bye!”

Kaede, Ibuki, and Toko stared at each other.

“Well.. We did a good thing today, everyone.” Kaede said.

“Yes! It’s a great song.” Ibuki added. “I’m so excited to find out what happens!”

“T-true. It’s hard t-to imagine someone hearing the song and n-not falling in love.”

“Definitely.” Kaede added. “Makoto will… Makoto will… Wait. It was for Makoto.”

“Makoto.” Ibuki deadpanned.

“M-makoto?!?!” Toko shouted, panicking.

“Fuck.” “We forgot about it entirely.” “We’re idiots… This is all your f-fault! This is w-why I work alone.”

…

Shuichi sat on his balcony, awkwardly alternating between looking through his telescope and a desperately staring at a starmap. 

_ If I can just find one constellation myself… I’d take that as a victory at this point... _

He had received the telescope as a present from Kaito for their 6-month anniversary. Some would declare this a self-indulgent gift, because it was. However, Kaede had given Shuichi a metronome, so it kind of balanced out.

The only one who had given something unique was Maki, who gave him a detective’s journal for his cases. He had thought it was a surprisingly thoughtful gift… until she gave Kaede a book of blank sheet music and Kaito a journal with a star pattern on it, at which point it had became obvious she had not considered gifts until 2 hours before their date while she was in a stationary store.

He appreciated their gifts all the same. They spoke to the interests of his partners and that’s really what he cared about.

Plus, it made it easier when he started trying to take up their talents…

When his phone buzzed, Shuichi considered ignoring it. Kaede had sent around two dozen apologies for her having been caught up in the romantic allure of songwriting and forgetting to distract Sayaka today. Kaito had tried to tell her that the passion for music was one of the things we all loved about her, but it still took Maki inviting her to a local jazz bar for her to (seemingly) calm down… 

However, Shuichi gave in and checked his phone. It was another message from Kyoko.

Kyoko Kirigiri: Good evening. I apologize for messaging you so late two nights in a row. I just wanted to update you on the situation regarding Sayaka. Today I noticed she was with Kaede in the music room, seemingly working on some sort of composition alongside Ibuki and, weirdly, Toko. After the situation yesterday, I have reason to believe this is a part of a larger scheme. Given both Maki and Kaede being involved, but you being unfamiliar with it, I am worried that this scheme concerns their relationship with you and Kaito. I hate to ruin the surprise, but want to ensure you have a safe and happy Valentine’s Day free of any Maizono-related hijinx. I would suggest we spend the next two days together so I can keep track of your safety directly. There are a couple cases I could use the help with anyway. Please consider my offer and call me at your earliest convenience. Sincerely, Kirigiri.

Shuichi sighed.  _ I could message Kaede and Maki about this… but they’re having enough of a rough day already. I’ll just call Kyoko in the morning. It’s hard to pass on a chance to shadow the Ultimate Detective, even if she’s only offering because of a misunderstanding… _

Shuichi put down his phone and continued to stare at his starmap before bed.

He eventually found what he thought could maybe be Delphinus... possibly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may take this "characters try to teach their partner(s) the basics of their talent" gag and put it into its own fic later, as I'm enjoying writing it...
> 
> Thanks for reading! Kudos/comments/etc are nice, as always.


	4. To Bloom New Possibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayaka tries to plan the where and when of her confession.

“So… We’re never taking Hifumi’s advice on what to play again, right?”

“Never again..”

“His standard of ‘romantic’ is just plain bad…”

Chiaki yawned. It was 3AM and she was sitting on the couch between Hajime and Tsumugi.

Chiaki hadn’t known any good romance games, so she asked Tsumugi for advice. Tsumugi didn’t know either, so she had asked Hifumi. Suffice it to say, they had ended up playing a 15-hour horror game with few romantic moments, but a significant amount of cleavage.

“So you’re… not going to model Sayaka’s confession off of that… right?”

“I don’t plan on modelling  _ any  _ confession… and, even if I did, then I don’t think I could afford to build the towers required.”

Chiaki yawned. She had a meeting this afternoon and needed to be well-rested for it.

_ I’m sure nobody would mind if I just took a quick sleep… here... _

Tsumugi thought hard for a moment, then started planning. “I think we could get Miu to build a tower if we wanted… But probably not one Makoto can climb himself… Maybe Sayaka could make him play a game with a model? That’s only if we wanted to follow this as our inspiration though…”

“Um. Tsumugi? I think she’s asleep.”

Hajime was correct. Chiaki had fallen asleep between them.

“Oh. Well then.”

Tsumugi and Hajime sat in silence for a moment.

“So… if we move, then we’ll wake her, won’t we…” Tsumugi said.

“Yes.” Hajime replied.

Another awkward pause.

“Well.. I’m fine sleeping here if you are.”

“I’m used to it, really. I’m sorry if you miss class though.”

“It’s fine. I’m so plain people wouldn’t notice if I wasn’t there anyway…”

“Huh? I mean, you’re an Ultimate… Still better than me.”

“Don’t worry! You may be in the Reserve Course, but you’ve got a hero’s aura to you.”

“Really?” 

“Really! Truly, you could be quite the protagonist you know…” Tsumugi said, with a knowing twinkle in her eye.

“Well, uh, thanks Tsumugi. That means a lot… I’m going to try and get some rest now… Night!”

“Night Hajime!”

The two of them awkwardly drifted to sleep on the couch...

…

Sayaka had, once again, been 15 minutes late to her Fan Club meeting.

However, this time, 15 minutes late meant she was still the first person here.

_ Maybe I should have asked someone else to join us… Just so I wouldn’t be lonely if Chiaki slept through it… _

_ Ugh. I’ve been late the last two days. I can’t judge too hard… _

_ I hope people won’t feel like I misled them when I sing to Kyoko… They seemed so proud of the song we made yesterday… Am I manipulating their support? _

_ I suppose I am… I mean, I’m sure some wouldn’t care. Kaede will be happy as long as I’m happy. Ibuki will say something about me following my passions and/or about the merits of 'girl-on-girl' affections… As for Toko… well, Toko doesn’t seem to get why I’d like Makoto anyway. _

_ Komaru though…. Maybe she wanted her brother to have a relationship? Am I betraying her trust? Ugh… I should talk to them. I should -  _

“Atua tells me to check in this room!”

_ Huh? That… doesn’t sound like Chiaki. _

“Hellooooo!”

“Oh, Sayaka. What are you doing here?”

Sayaka blinked in confusion. Angie and Rantaro had spontaneously entered the classroom. They began looking around the room, looking in desks and scouring around the windowsills. 

“I’m just having a fan club meeting… Though as you can see, the fans are late today…” Sayaka laughed awkwardly. “What are you, uh, doing?”

“Gundham lost a lizard somewhere in the school.” Rantaro explained. “It’s turned into a 15-person hunting project...”

“Atua was touched by his dedication to his pet and said we must seek it out for him!” Angie added in.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that!” Sayaka replied. “That must be stressful for him…”

“He definitely had a  _ lot  _ to say about it for sure!” Rantaro said, smiling nicely, if nervously. “Shuichi is our usual missing pet person, but sadly he’s off-campus today.”

“Oh?” Sayaka replied. “He is?”

“He is! Off on an adventure with Kyoko. She’s apparently taking him under her wing for the next two days, though I believe they will be on campus at least tomorrow.”

“She is… Huh…” Sayaka replied, the gears in her head beginning to turn.

_ If I got Shuichi to come to my confession as a “rehearsal”… he would end up bringing Kyoko… and, as a detective, she’d figure out the lyrics’ meaning… then by the time Makoto has turned up for the “real confession,” I’ll already be the Valentine of his best friend… _

~~_ And/or I will be crying in my bathroom while Kaede tries to get me to come out... _ ~~

_ This… could work… Now I just need to figure out what the confession itself would be like... _

Sayaka was snapped out of her thoughts by Angie leaning down to stare at her.

“Nyahahaha! Atua says Sayaka's heart is full of love.”

_ She figured that out just from my vacant stare? That’s… actually very impressive. _

“You are correct Angie. And you want to help me, don’t you?”

“Oh-ho! How did you know?” Angie asked, swaying from side to side. “Does the word of Atua speak through you as well?”

“Nope!” Sayaka beamed. “I’m just psychic. Generic non-religious psychic.”

“Hmm. Be careful what you say, Sayaka.” Angie replied, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Heresy could leave your family cursed for generations.”

“Ignore her, Sayaka. We’d be happy to help with your relationship troubles if so requested.. I think operation lizard-hunt has more than enough people taking it on already…”

An explosion went off in the distance. Sayaka’s face scrunched up with concern. Rantaro winced. Angie just smiled.

“Atua says what just happened outside isn’t our problem. So, Sayaka. Regale us with your stories of young love!”

“Well… So, it started when I made the Sayaker Fan Club…”

“Oh, a fan club for your fans? That’s sweet of you, if a bit confusing…”

“No, wouldn't it be a club of Sayakers?”

“Look, it’s all a cover anyway… Just… Let me explain.”

…

Chiaki woke up at 4PM. She was very tired, but realized that she had a meeting to go to.

_ Gotta stop the confession from happening tomorrow with bad confession plans…  _

Running into the classroom, she was greeted by the sight of Angie and Rantaro leaving the room, Angie handing Sayaka a painting before happily skipping out.

“Oh, Chiaki! Nice to see you!” Sayaka said, smiling.

“I’m sorry I’m late. I may have been up all night with Hajime and -”

“Don’t apologize! Honestly, it was fine that you weren’t here… Rantaro and Angie turned up and had some good ideas.” Sayaka explained. “Maybe it was the will of Atua,” she added with a wink.

“If you're sure? So, you have a confession plan?”

“Yes! I’m going to do an impromptu concert in the gym tomorrow after Makoto has practice… Angie has provided some heart-shaped paintings to display alongside me and Kaede’s keyboard.”

“Oh. That sounds cute! Lower chances of someone dying too...”

“Dying?” Sayaka asked, a bit concerned.

“Oh, don’t worry. It was just a Hifumi's idea about your confession…”

“Oh. Okay. Right,” Sayaka said, clearly still worried.

“So, are we all good then?” Chiaki asked.

“We’re good! Here, I’ll take you out for dinner now. Call it an apology for me not going with your plan.”

“S-sure.” Chaiki replied. “Let’s go.”

_ Damn it. The plan is still a go...  
_

…

Shuichi yawned, After a day of following Kyoko from crime scene to crime scene, he wanted nothing more than a quiet night in.

He instead was standing in the middle of a busy arcade, watching Kaito fail at a ring-toss game as Maki explained the day’s hijinx.

“Then, after all that, it had turned out the lizard had went back into its cage of its own will… The whole time.” Maki said, clearly frustrated.

“I hope Hina won’t mind the pool being closed for the next couple weeks… It sounds like such a mess…” Kaede replied, nervously.

“It… sounds like I missed an eventful day,” Shuichi said.

“Hey, look, if you’re ever worried about not being a ‘real detective,’ then you can always think of how doomed the school was without you…” Kaede noted, happily.

“S-sure. Thanks Kaede..” 

Kaito, meanwhile, was growing increasingly annoyed at the ring-toss game he was repeatedly failing at.

“Maki Roll! Is this really the best way to learn your talents?”

“Of course not,” Maki scoffed. “But we’re not doing any actual strikes together for obvious reasons. This tests your hand-eye coordination and is much more on your level.”

“Come on Maki Roll! You don’t have to go easy on me. I can take the full experience.”

Maki looked at him deadpan for a moment, before rolling her eyes.

“Fine. You want the full experience? I can give it to you.”

Maki turned and effortlessly put Shuichi into an awkward blend of a side-hug and a headlock.

“W-what are you doing?” Shuichi asked, vocally and visibly tired.

“Kaito, I now have Shuichi as a hostage. You don’t get access to your boyfriend until you manage to get all of the rings onto the bottles.”

“What? Maki Roll? That’s not fair.”

“Do I get a say in this?” Shuichi asked, quietly.

“Quiet hostage! Kaito! Time is running out.”

Kaede picked up the teasing in Shuichi’s steed, mining dramatically. “Oh no Kaito! Poor Shuichi has been taken hostage. Aren’t you going to save him? Would you really just leave him to die?”

“This is a l-lot of pressure to be under all of a sudden…”

“Time is running out!!! Hurry!” Kaede said, leaning in to whisper into Kaito’s ear. “I hear Maki’s kisses are  _ deadly. _ ”

Kaito threw a ring. It landed in place.

Then another. It landed.

Only one more needed to land… and…

He missed.

Maki rolled her eyes. “Unbelievable... Maybe I need to just ramp it up…” Maki grabbed Kaede as well, now holding onto both her and Shuichi by their waists. “Double hostage situation. Come on, so-called Luminary of the Stars. Focus your breath and save your partners!”

Kaede broke into a laugh. “Kaito! Help! Aren’t you going to save us?”

“Look, I’m trying, but ring toss is very hard!”

Kaito’s defending himself was interrupted by the dinging of Kaede’s cell phone.

“Oh, that was Sayaka’s chime! Can you check that for me Kaito? Given how I’m a hostage right now and it’s all  _ your _ fault…”

Maki laughed and nodded approvingly, while Kaito rolled his eyes and went over to look at Kaede’s phone.

“Huh. It says she’d like you to play piano for the confession tomorrow. It’ll be just outside the gym at 1PM. She’d like you to bring Shuichi to the rehearsal first, at 12:30PM. Does that work for you? I thought the goal was to stop the confession from happening entirely…”

“It  _ was _ the goal…” Shuichi said, awkwardly.

“The mission was… a failure.” Maki said, more a little embarrassed. 

“I guess Chiaki didn’t stop her today either then. Oh well, not like we can judge…” Kaede said, dejectedly. “So… what can we do then?”

“Well… I’m going to be with Kyoko again tomorrow. If she wants me to be at the rehearsal, then I can bring Kyoko too? She’ll see what Sayaka is doing and figure out her true intentions. And she can be the one to inform her about Byakuya and Makoto’s pre-arranged plans?”

“That… actually isn’t a bad idea?” Maki said, a bit surprised.

“Perfect Shuichi! Genius work, Mr Detective!” Kaede said, pulling him into a hug, inadvertently trapping Maki between.

“Good job sidekicks! I knew you’d figure this out!” Kaito bellowed, walking over to join the hug before Maki stopped him.

“Nope. They’re still my hostages. Until you land your ring-tosses, no hugs for you.”

“What? But… Maki Roll?”

“Now you have to land them six times in a row...”

“Ugh. Seriously… Oh well. I’m never one to back down from a challenge. This game shall be no match for the Luminary of the Stars!"  


“You said that ten games ago…” 

Kaito resumed his game, to little success.

The “hostages” were ultimately freed three hours later, when everyone had to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The game Hifumi had them play for romance advice is Catherine. Not even Catherine Full Body. Just Catherine.
> 
> Also, remember when I was planning on having Kaede/Maki/Shuichi/Kaito be a background thing and then it slowly dominated the fic? Whoops!


	5. The Culprit Confesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sayaka's plan comes to fruition!

Shuichi sighed. The moment he had entered Kyoko’s office, she started listing all of the cold cases she wanted his help doing background checks for and he hadn’t yet had a chance to inform him of Sayaka’s invite.

“So… That’s all of them. Twenty-seven cases, so don’t feel bad if you don’t get all of them done…" Kyoko explained, before turning to face him. "Any questions?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. I was wonder-”

“You’re wearing your hat again?” Kyoko questioned, looking directly at him for the first time that morning.

“Oh, well, yes.” Shuichi replied sheepishly. “It’s just here for comfort. Bit of a nervous day.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Is... everything okay with you?"

“Oh. Well. I'm fine…” Shuichi took a deep breath. “Sayaka did ask I go and see her and Kaede outside the gym late today though…”

“What?” Kyoko gasped. “Why didn’t you mention this sooner?”

“I mean, I t-tried!” Shuichi said, exasperated. “You’ve just had cases on the mind and have been… talking a lot… Sorry…”

Kyoko looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. “Fair enough. Well, you have no reason to be worried about Sayaka’s schemes. I shall go in your steed.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, don’t worry. I won’t eat any chocolate intended for you or anything. When - and/or if - things are determined to be safe, I’ll let you know and you can join them.”

"I can come with; don't w-"

“Please don’t worry. I know how to handle her at this point. She’s set up more than enough plots in my class for me to be used to it…”

“I mean… if you’re sure?” 

“I’m certain. Don’t worry Shuichi. It’ll be a fine day. No hat required”

_I guess that solves the problem of getting her to go… She’ll go, see what’s happening, and explain Makoto’s situation to Sayaka. Then Kaede will be ready with ice cream for Sayaka’s inevitable heartbreak..._

_Not a perfect outcome, but our better plans all failed, so...  
_

"Sounds good. Thanks for your support, Kyoko."

…

Kaede finished setting up her piano nervously. She was surrounded by an arch covered with canvas hearts, all freshly painted by Angie. In the center, there was a painting covered by a tarp on an easel.

“So… What’s under here?” Kaede asked.

“Oh! It’s a portrait! I’ve just covered it as Angie said it could potentially knock people unconscious if they view it without Atua in their hearts... We’ll see if Ky - Makoto would be willing to look at it, but I totally get if he doesn’t.”

“Hey, maybe being the ‘Ultimate Lucky Student’ would increase his odds of looking at it fainting-free?”

“Heh… Maybe…” Sayaka said awkwardly, before changing the subject. “So, when Shuichi enters, we’ll start performing, okay? I’ve set up this remotely-operated spotlight to really make everything pop!”

“You’re… planning on doing the full show for Shuichi? Lights and all? Don’t you think that could risk him misunderstanding something?”

“Oh... Well... I think he’ll know what’s up! He’s a detective after all… I mean, don’t _you believe_ in his ability to figure it out?”

_Way to strike me right in my heart…_

“I do, yes. Okay, sure, full show for Shuichi… He’ll be here in about ten minutes, so we should finish preparing…”

“Sounds good! I’ll do some vocal warm-ups…”

_And I’ll prepare the ice cream, I guess… Poor Sayaka..._

...

Kyoko’s heart was beating faster as she began to walk to gym. She didn’t fully understand way.

_Deep breaths, Kyoko… Sayaka’s probably just going to see you and get annoyed you aren’t Shuichi. She’ll tell you that you’re no fun. You’ll bicker for a few minutes. Then, depending on the plan and level of potential embarrassment, you can make the correct decision if you’re shutting her down or letting Shuichi come himself…_

_It can’t be worse then the time she tried to get Sonia and Gundham together… Thank goodness that Himiko knew how to control birds…_

_She’s a lovely girl, but she needs to understand self-control… I’ve appreciated my two days with Shuichi, but this really shouldn’t be my job… I specialize in Homicide cases, not the ramifications of the romantic gestures of Idols…_

_But… Something about her just sticks in my mind…_ _I guess on some level I just want to protect her._

Kyoko shook her head, as if physically remove the thoughts from her mind… 

_It’s time to confront her. I can’t let any feelings clog my judgement._

She entered the room, witnessed a spotlight going up on Sayaka, accenting all of her most beautiful features.

“Wait, where’s Shuichi?” a voiced cried.

“Shut up and play Kaede!” Sayaka replied.

_Um. Okay. I guess I’ll see where this goes?_

...

Sayaka sang the last notes of her song, belting with all of her heart and lungs.

_There. I’ve done my piece. Now… Kyoko’s reaction._

“I… can’t believe it. You set me up?” Kyoko said.

_I... wasn't expecting that... Ideally some sort of romantic declaration of pride and happiness... Is she mad at me?_

“Look… It wasn’t my intention to mislead anyone… I just… felt like you weren’t being appreciated enough and wanted to express this to you... via song?”

“Wait, hold up, this song was written for Kyoko?” Kaede questioned.

Sayaka laughed lightly. “Maybe~! Sorry… I hope you aren’t too mad…”

“Mad? No, I’m relieved. I mean, the song is beautiful, but I was worried you would end up disappointed by Makoto’s… Makotoness, given how it emphasizes mystery...”

Kyoko let out a chuckle.

 _A laugh. An actual laugh?!? I made the headmaster’s daughter with an icy exterior_ _laugh?_

“Excellent work.” Kyoko replied. “I’m quite impressed. This was quite an unexpected twist… And no wild animals this time! Well done.”

Sayaka blushed. “That was only one time!”

_She doesn’t need to know about the time with Gonta…_

“Sure it was.” Kyoko replied, eyes twinkling knowingly. “So, I’m given to assume that that covered painting is for me?”

“Oh. I mean, Angie did do a portrait of you… but looking at it may cause you to faint, unless you are a devout follower of Atua.”

“But you can look at it?” Kaede asked.

“Well, duh.” Sayaka replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s ‘cause I’m physic. I’ve got that energy covered.”

“So…” Kyoko said, directing attention back to her. “I think I've caught up now... If you would allow me to summarize… You intentionally misled around half a dozen of our classmates into thinking that you were going to confess to Makoto. You had them stalk Makoto and I through the mall. You had them write - and Kaede play - a song about your feelings for me, while manipulating them into thinking it was a terribly misguided song for Makoto. You had Angie do a portrait of me that _knocks anyone who views it unconscious_ … all with the aims of, ultimately, being my Valentine?”

“Um. Well. Er. Yes? Kind of? You don’t need to make it sound so… nefarious, you know..."

“Well. That settles it then.”

“Settles what?” Sayaka asked nervously. “Oh, no, you’re mad, aren’t you?”

“In a sense. I do think you need someone responsible for keeping an eye on you… So, there is only one workable solution.”

_Uh-oh. Here it comes..._

“What is it?”

“We’re just going to have to date then.”

“It's okay; I understand - wait, really?”

“It’s a simple cause-effect chain. I am worried about your schemes and you scheme for me. If I date you, then you neither have reason to scheme anymore…”

“T-that’s true!” Sayaka declared. “So, you’ll do it then? You’ll be my Valentine?”

“Of course! I fancy you and you evidently fancy me... Granted, you can be pretty hectic. We may just have to get married to ensure I can keep an eye on you constantly.” 

“M-married? Let's... just start with a first date, okay?"

“Fair enough…” Kyoko replied, smiling confidently. “So, do you want to go out then?”

“Now?”

“I mean, I can leave Shuichi to finish up my detective work for the day…”

“Well… Sure! I’d love to!”

“Perfect…”

Kyoko offered Sayaka her hand, which Sayaka confidently took in hers and they walked off happily together.

“Best of luck you too!” Kaede said, calling after them. 

Kaede sat down on her piano bench exhausted, sighing with relief. “And at all worked out… She didn’t even need to find out that Makoto’s dating someone…” 

“Wait… I’m going to have to clean all of this up by myself now, won’t I…”

...

“Makoto. What made you think a group date with these imbeciles would be a good idea?” Byakuya sighed, annoyed at his surroundings.

“Look, Byakuya..." Makoto said, nervously "It’s an escape room! I’m sure it’ll be fun if we all just work together.”

“That hardly sounds like a fun time to me…” Byakuya grumbled in response.

“Master Byakuya is right Makoto! Why did you t-think it w-would be good for us to have a date with him? Komaru! Tell your b-brother why he’s w-wasting Master’s time on us!” Toko argued.

“No, that’s wrong! Makoto is right. Byakuya could be having fun, but he’s just choosing to be a stick in the mud. Kyoko! Explain to Byakuya how much fun he could be having if he just loosened up…” Sayaka countered.

Kyoko and Komaru just looked at each other, before breaking into a brief laughing fit and resuming their search for clues.

...

“So… Are they dating as duos or, like, a collective?” Kaito asked, staring at the bickering group from across the room.

“Kaito, are you going to help us with this puzzle, or is this escape room a three-person activity?” Maki replied, annoyed.

“I’m just saying, Maki Roll... There are some cute dynamics there! It could work out.”

Kaede, Shuichi, and Maki just stared back at him.

“Um… Kaito… Darling... Sweetheart... Can you not think of the reason that Kyoko, Sayaka, Toko, Byakuya, _Makoto_ and _Komaru_ are not collectively dating?” Kaede said, as sweetly as she could manage.

“Oh. Oh. OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.”

“Idiot.” Maki scoffed. 

“Let’s just resume the search for clues, okay?” Shuichi said.

They escaped the room with 3 minutes to go, no thanks to Byakuya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this multi-chapter shipping extravaganza.


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